A Moment of Joy
by kelmeister
Summary: Immediately post-ep for 5x03, "Secret's Safe With Me." An epilogue. One-shot. "Even on the worst days, there's a possibility for joy."


Disclaimer: Everything here is mine, except everyone in it.

The loft was too quiet. Even with the faint sound of his mother up in her room, growling out the opening bars of "Everything's Coming Up Roses," something was off. The air pressure was wrong. It's amazing, Rick thought, how someone can take up so much space, emit so much life, and yet the empty space they leave behind is so much bigger. Rick clutched Alexis' medal in his hands, rubbing its surface with his thumb as though it were a genie's bottle prepared to let loose the kinetic energy of his daughter upon his evening with just the right pressure. He smiled sadly as he dropped the medal back in its box.

There was a soft knock on the door.

Rick opened the door to reveal Kate taking her turn at sheepishly grinning on his doorstep. "Beckett?" he asked, quick to panic at her unexpected appearance. "What is it? Is there something wrong?"

"No, no," Kate chuckled, "nothing's wrong. I probably should have called—"

Martha's voice raced her pounding footfalls down the stairs. "Is that Alexis? Did something happen?" She appeared at Rick's shoulder, shock overtaking the worry on her face. "Detective Beckett! What a surprise," she said, smiling at Kate. "Has there been another murder?"

Kate was laughing. "No, I was just—I'm sorry I dropped by unannounced. If you two are busy, I can come back—"

"Don't be silly, dear!" Martha jostled Rick out of the way as she reached for Kate, pulling her into the apartment. Kate glanced anxiously over her shoulder at Rick, who flashed her a smile as he closed the door. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"

"Well, I—" Kate looked nervously at Martha and Rick, both now standing before her, united in their curiosity. A slight smile played on Rick's lips as he watched his normally unruffled Kate kick at the floor, her head dipped to hide the rising blush on her cheeks. "When you left the precinct, Castle, I started to think about our conversation—"

"Conversation about what?" Martha's confusion was evident as her gaze flitted between Rick and Kate, eventually falling to Rick for clarification. Kate shot Rick a look, eyes pleading with him not to divulge her recently-shared secret.

"Ah, yes," he said, "the conversation Beckett and I had about the case." Rick turned to his mother, redirecting her attention away from Kate's discomfort. "Beckett had a particularly astute theory about motive that I found very interesting."

He looked back at Kate and pursed his lips as if in thought. "What was it you said, about the importance of joy?"

Kate shyly smiled a silent thanks for Rick's quick save. "That on our worst days, there's still a possibility of finding joy."

Martha gasped, touching her fingers to her lips, her eyes growing moist. "Oh! So true! So true."

"So," Kate continued, "I remembered today was your first night without Alexis, and I thought..." She held up a handled, plain brown paper bag. "I'd bring by a little bit of joy."

Rick and Martha exchanged glances, then both looked at Kate. Rick felt his heart swell. There she was, the most beautiful, mesmerizing, frustrating woman he'd ever met, and she was standing in his home, bringing comfort to _him._ He was overwhelmed that she felt safe enough with him to want to give him so much. He'd thought in those moments when they'd laid in each others' arms, sated and content, that he couldn't love her more. And yet, there she was, holding out her heart in a plain brown bag. He wanted so badly to take her into his arms and crush her in a hug of infinite—

But his mother beat him to it. Martha pulled Kate into her arms. He marveled at the scene before him. And as he watched, the miraculous happened: Kate, at first awkwardly returning Martha's hug, suddenly sighed, closed her eyes, and returned Martha's affection, melting into her embrace. The women held each other for a few moments, unaware of Rick's beaming grin.

Martha pulled away with a slight smile. "Okay, you two," she said, her voice cracking, "I will leave you to it."

"Oh, no, Martha," Kate held Martha in place with a hand on her arm. "No, please. Stay." Kate threw a quick glance in Rick's direction. "I—I have more than enough."

Martha paused, eying Kate carefully. Finally, she smiled and nodded once. "Well, alright then."

Rick clapped his hands and grabbed the bag from Kate. "Alright! With that out of the way," he said, quickly shuffling to the kitchen, "let's get this party started."

He set the bag on the counter and reached in, pulling out a white box. "What's this," he slyly asked, bringing it to his ear.

"No!" Kate threw up a hand. "Don't shake it!" She ran to the kitchen to stop him.

With a wicked grin, Rick put the box down on the counter and opened it. "Cheesecake," he hummed, "yummy." He pulled out a similar box and opened it. "Éclairs?" He raised his eyebrows, a silent question.

"I didn't know what you'd be in the mood for," Kate shrugged, as he pulled out another box.

"SpongeBob cupcakes?"

"What? He lives under the sea." Kate grinned.

Rick returned a bigger smile. "Beckett," he warned, waving a finger. "Hey, you know, this box is cold—" He placed it on the counter and looked in the bag. His smile grew, stretching from ear to ear. "Ice cream!" He pulled out two pints and looked back in the bag. "Sprinkles!" He shouted with glee. "Nuts! Cherries! Oh, oh, oh!"

He pulled out a can of Reddi-whip. "Oh, you, my dear—" He held the can next to his cheek, rubbing the can, cooing. "Where have you been all my life?"

Martha came up behind Rick and lightly slapped his arm. "Richard, behave!" She turned toward Kate. "You know, I have the perfect sparkling wine to go with these desserts. I'll grab it now." Martha leaned in conspiratorially. "And by, 'grab it now,' I mean as soon as my back is turned, you two should get to kissing like you've wanted to since Richard opened the door."

"Mother," Rick hissed. Kate threw her head back and laughed. Martha gave Rick a dismissive wave and headed to the wine cooler.

Rick reached across the counter. Kate took his hand and let him lead her around to his embrace. Grinning like a fool, his heart near to bursting, he stroked her cheek and watched with joy as her eyes fluttered closed and she instinctively leaned into his touch. He kissed her softly, lingering for a moment, before whispering, "Thank you."

"For what," Kate murmured.

"For everything. For remembering. For coming here. For wanting me to be okay."

Kate smiled. "Always."

Rick quickly kissed the tip of her nose, then hollered, "And now! The most important part of the evening!"

"Oh, no," Kate groaned.

"Richard—" Martha warned.

But Rick would have none of that. He was too happy. The day still held a tinge of sorrow. But at that moment, his daughter out there taking on the world, and he at home with the mother he adored and the partner he loved, he felt he was glimpsing his future, and he couldn't be happier. With a flourish, he picked up the Reddi-Whip can and pulled off the cap. He raised the can high for a toast. "To joy," he bellowed, and tipping his head back, he filled his mouth with whipped cream.

"Castle," Kate cried, playfully swatting his arm, "save some for the rest of us!"

Rick snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her close. "You want some, Beckett," he mumbled, spitting cream in her hair and making her squeal, "you come and get some."

"Good Lord," Martha groaned, loudly clinking three glasses and a bottle of wine on the counter. "I've been witness to your affair for all of twenty minutes, and already I'm sick of the both of you."

Rick threw his other arm around his mother, pulling her in for a sloppy kiss on the top of her head. Possibility of joy, he thought. No. He'd already found it.


End file.
